Shoe toe lifter



June 26, 1945. B, J, CLAUSEN 2,378,899

SHOE TOE LIFTER Filed March 2 1944 IN V EN TOR.

Bari J Clan/s w, BY

A T TORNEY longitudinal section.

Patented June 26, 1945 UNITED STATES 3 PATENT F 3 gazette SHOE TOE LIFTER Bert Clausen, Huntington Parlg calif.

Application March 2, 1944, Serial No. 524,696 r 11 Claims. 01. 12-1285) This invention is a shoe toe lifter, and the general object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved lifting device, whichmay be inserted in a shoe and under the toe of the shoe, and actuated to lift and stretch the toe boxing, so that said boxing will fit the toe of the wearer of the shoe freely, and permit the.

shoe to be worn with comfort.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereafter as this specification progresses.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing which forms a and in which r r Fig. 1 is a perspective of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my invention shown part of this specification,

in position in a shoe for lifting the toe boxing of the shoe, the shoe being shown in vertical Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view like Fig. 2 with my invention shown in theact of lifting the toe boxing of the shoe. r

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of my invention. Fig. 5 isa bottom plan view of my invention. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of my invention on an enlarged scale with an adjustable engaging member on the lifting end of the lifting arm for increasing the lift of the toe boxing of a shoe.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of my invention taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation fication of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section taken line 9 -9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sideelevation of another modification of my invention.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken on line Il-H of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a forward end view of Fig.10. Referring more particularly to the drawing in which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters in all of the views,

of amodiw my invention includes generally a supporting member I. and a liftin member 2 pivotally mounted in said supporting member by a pivot 3, which lifting member is normally held in' its initial position in said supporting member by a and a handle 6 upstanding from the rear of said base forwardly at an angle of substantially sixty degrees with relation tosaid base. The base 5 is bifurcated and formed with a pair of spaced forkedbase arms I, joined together at the rear end of the base at 8, and, at their lower side, a

arms I and is secured to said arms of said lifting arm forwardly at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees with relation to said arm. The lifting member 2 is pivoted at the rear end of its lifting arm I!) by the pivot 3. in the crotch l2 in the rear end of the bifurcated base 5 of the supporting member I with .said lifting arm I!) extending forwardly from itsrear pivoted end between thefork arms 1 of said base 5, and with the lower end of the handle I I of the lifting member 2 positioned forwardly of andadjacent the lower end of the handle 5 of-the supportingmember l. The pivot 3 extends transversely through the rear portion of the fork arms I of said bifurcated base 5 and through the rear end of said lifting' arrn l0, and said pivot is secured in said forkarms land is loosely fitted in an opening l3 in saidlifting arm. it, so that the lifting member 2 may turnon said'pivo t. The forward end M of the lifting arm 10 is enlarged in width to enlarge the engaging surface of said end. In the lower edge of the lifting arm in is provided a notch l 5 to receive the bridge 9 in the base 5 of the supporting member i, so that said bridge will engage the inner wall l6 of said notch to limit the downward movement of the lifting member 2 with the lower edge of said lifting arm I0 flush with the lower surface of the basearms 'l of the supporting member. I.

An adjustable engaging head I! may be mounted on the forward end of the lifting arm ID of the lifting member 2 by means of a threaded shank l8 depending from said head and engaging a threaded opening [9 in the forward end of said lifting arm. I

While the handle 6 of the supporting member l and the handle ll of the lifting member 2 are its ends and is positioned between thefhandles Band II, with its ends secured by rivets 20 and r arm IU of said lifting member, with the bridge 9 in the base 5 of the supporting member I.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The lower part of my toe lifter is introduced into a shoe and is moved forwardly in the shoe until the forward end I4 of the lifting arm Ill rests under the depressed toe boxing 26 of the shoe, the handles 6 and H extending upwardly and forwardly out of the shoe through the throat 21 in the front of the upper of the shoe, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The

operator then grasps the handles 6 and H, and applying pressure to said handles swings the handle ll rearwardly and the lifting arm I0 Lit upwardly "on the pivot 3 against the tension 'of I I0 is not great enough to lift the toe boxing of a particular shoe, the adjustable engaging head ll may be secured and adjusted on the forward end of said lifting arm by screwing the threaded shank 18 of said engaging head into the threaded.

opening 18 in the forward end of said lifting arm, which head, being elevated above said forward end of said lifting arm will compensate for the lack of the required movement of said lifting arm andwill engage and lift the toe boxing sufiiciently" upon the limited upward movement-of said liftingarms by the handle ll.

In the modification of my invention shown on Figs. 8 and 9, the lifting member 2 is pivctly mounted in the base 5 of the supporting member l on a pivot 30, which extends transversely and loosely through the opening 13in the rear end of the lifting arm IU of the lifting member 2 and through horizontal slots 3| in the base fork arms 1, respectively, and nuts 32 are threaded on the outerends of said pivot and-washers 33 are fitted on said pivot between said nuts, respectively, and

the outer sides of said fork arms, so that said pivot may be adjustably secured in any position in said slots .3l upon tightening the nuts 32 against the washers 33 and said washers against the outer sides of the base fork arms 1, for ad" justably pivoting the lifting member 2 in the supporting member-l with the handle I l of said lifting member positioned adjacent to or variably spaced from the handle 6 of said supporting member; The further the handle it is spaced from the handle 6 the greater the lifting movement of the handle H and the lifting arm if! of the lifting member 2, and consequently the greater the lifting action and effect of said lifting arm against thetoe boxing of a shoe.

In the modification ofmy invention shown in Figs. 10, 11 and '12 there is no bridge 9 in the base-5 or notch 15 in the lifting arm l0 forlimiting the return movement of said lifting arm in its initial position, but a pair of flanges -35 are formed on the forward end portion of the lifting arm [0 of the lifting member 2 at-the sides, re-

spectively, of said arm, to be received in the rabbets. 36 in the upper surface of the forward'end lower walls 3l'of said rabbets, respectively, to

limit said return movement of the lifting member 2 in its initial position. The flanges 3'5.are formed on the forward end portion of the lifting arm ID with their upper surfaces flush with the upper surfaces of said lifting arm, providing said lifting arm with a widened lifting end 38 for ing the toe boxing of a shoe.

I claim:

, 1. A shoe toe lifter including a supporting member and a lifting member pivoted to said supporting member, said supporting member lift comprising a base and a handle upstanding forwardly from said base, and said lifting member comprising a lifting arm and a handle upstand ing forwardly from said lifting arm to be gripped,

together with said handle of said supporting member, for swinging said lifting member, so that its lifting arm may-engage and lift the toe boxing of a shoe.

2. A shoe toe lifter as claimed in claim 1 including a spring for normally maintaining said liftingmember; in its initial non-lifti g position. 3. A shoe toe lifter as claimed in claim 1 including a spring interposedbetween the handles ofthe supporting member and the lifting member for normally maintaining said lifting member in the initial non-lifting position. Y

4. A shoe toe lifter including a supporting member and a lifting member, said'supporting member comprisinga forked base .and a handle upstanding forwardly from the rear end of said base at the junction of the fork arms-of said base, said lifting member comprising a lifting arm and a handle upstanding forwardly from therearend of said lifting arm, said lifting member being pivoted at the rear'end of the lifting arm to said forked base in the crotch of said base, withsa'id lifting arm extending between the fork arms of said base.

5. A shoe toe lifter as claimed in claim'l including a spring interposed between the handles of the supporting member and the lifting member for normally maintaining said lifting member in its non-lifting position. I 1

6. A shoe toe lifter as claimed in claim l including an adjustable engaging head 'rnou'nted on the forward end of the liftingarm of th'eilift ing member. f

7. A shoe lifter as .claimed in claim. '1 including an engaging head formed with a depending threaded shank for engaging a threaded opening in the forward end of the lifting arm of the lifting member.

8. A shoe toe lifter including a supporting P member and a lifting member, saidfsupportin '9. A shoe toe lifter includingfa supporting member and a liftingmember, said supporting member comprisin'ga forked base and a handle upstanding from the crotch end of said base, the fork arms of said base being provided with aligned horizontal slots, respectively, extending laterally therethrough, said lifting member comprising a lifting arm" and a handle upstanding from the rear end of said lifting armQsaidJifting arm being provided with anbpcningiextending laterally through its rear end, a pivot extending through said slots in said base fork armsiand exv 2,378,899 tending loosely through said opening in said lift ing arm for pivoting said lifting member in said supporting member with said lifting arm between said base fork arms, and nuts threaded on the outer ends, respectively, of said pivot for engaging said base arms and securing the ends of said pivot in said base arms in different positions in spectively, to limit the return movement of said member comprising a forked base and a handle upstanding from the rear end of said base at the junction'of the forked arms of said base, said lifting member comprising a lifting arm and a handle upstanding from the rear end of said lifting arm, said lifting member being pivoted at the rear end of the lifting arm to said forked base in the crotch ofsaid base, with said lifting arm extending between the for]: arms of said base, a pair of flanges formed on the sides, re spectively, at the forward end of said lifting arm,

and the forward end ortions of the base fork arms being formed in their upper surfaces with rabbets, respectively, to receive said flanges, re-

lifting member in its initial position.

11. A shoe toe lifter as claimed in claim 1 ini eluding means for limiting the return movement of said lifting member in its initial position.

BERT J. CLAUSEN. 

